IT’S MESSY

“Messy From the Start”
Pastor Ben Johnson – May 29, 2022

Genesis 2:23-24 — “At last!” the man exclaimed. “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.’” This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. Now the man and his wife were both naked, but they felt no shame.

The secret to any great relationship is SECURITY.

Security is the freedom to truly open up and be known at a deep, intimate level without fear of being blamed, criticized, judged, condemned, or perhaps worst of all, deemed unacceptable.

Finding Freedom to Truly Open Up

1. Begin by BUILDING the SECURITY we have in CHRIST.

   2 Timothy 2:19 — But God’s truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his.”

2. Take RESPONSIBILITY for my ROLE.
   Galatians 6:5 — For we are each responsible for our own conduct.

3. COMPEL others through a CHANGED LIFE.

   Hebrews 10:24 — In response to all he has done for us, let us outdo each other in being helpful and kind to each other...

4. Don’t GIVE UP on HOPE.

   Romans 15:13 — I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

If God’s ways are worth BELIEVING IN, shouldn’t we be LIVING THEM OUT?